Synopses & Reviews
Just over a decade ago, a leading group of academics and policy experts were brought together to assess the key economic, social, and constitutional policy options for Britain. Their analysis quickly became accepted wisdom, and many of the policy proposals put forth in the highly influential volume
Options for Britain have now been implemented.
Options for Britain II: Cross Cutting Policy Issues - Changes and Challenges offers an assessment of the decade since these policies were implemented by focusing on several issues that cut across policy areas. These include the measurement of public sector performance, the role of the state, regulation, and Britain’s relationship with the European Union. A variety of leading academic and policy experts examine how such ‘cross-cutters’ have changed since 1997 and point to the current challenges Britain faces. This Special Issue of Political Quarterly serves as an accompaniment to the follow-up to Options for Britain - Options For A New Britain- which provides an independent overview of 15 of the most important individual policy areas. Collectively, these volumes provide an authoritative understanding of how public policy in Britain has changed over the last decade while offering bold ideas to meet the next decade's challenges.
Synopsis
Investigates the Options for Britain II project, which focuses on some of the most prominent challenges for UK policy-makers, concentrating on those that cut across several policy areas, and identifies what policy-makers can do to address these challenges. Investigates the 'Options for Britain II' project which aims to provide an independent and rigorous audit of the UK's economic, social and constitutional progress over the last decade and future policy options for the next one Provides evidence to show what shows what has and hasn't worked in the project Sets out key choices both for the electorate and the next incoming government, regardless of its political complexion Based on two conferences where leading policy-makers, politicians, academics and journalists examined key questions across a variety of policy areas Questions how the policy area changed over the last ten years, what are the most important current challenges in this policy area, and what options might an incoming government have to address them
Synopsis
This book focuses on issues that cut across several policy areas, such as measuring public sector performance, the role of the state, regulation and Britain's relationship with the EU. Provides evidence to show what shows what has and hasn't worked in the Options II project Sets out key choices both for the electorate and the next incoming government, regardless of its political complexion Based on two conferences where leading policy-makers, politicians, academics and journalists examined key questions across a variety of policy areas Questions how policy has changed over the last ten years, what are the most important current challenges, and what options might an incoming government have to address them
Synopsis
Options for Britain II: Cross Cutting Policy Issues - Changes and Challenges offers an assessment of the last decade of British public policy that cuts across policy areas, such as measuring public sector performance, the role of the state, regulation, and
Britain’s relationship with the EU.
- Provides evidence to show what has and has not worked in the Options For Britain II project
- Sets out key choices both for Britain's electorate and the next incoming government, regardless of its political make up
- Questions how public policy has changed over the last ten years, addresses the most important current challenges, and provides options for an incoming government to address them
- Accompanies Options For A New Britain, the follow up to its influential predecessor Options for Britain
About the Author
Varun Uberoi is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Department of Politics and International Relations, Oxford University.
Adam Coutts is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Department of Politics and International Relations, Oxford University.
Iain McLean is a Fellow of the British Academy and Professor of Politics in the Department of Politics & International Relations, Oxford University.
David Halpern is Research Director at the Institute for Government and was Chief Analyst in the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit (2001-2007).
Table of Contents
Notes on Contributors.
Introduction (Adam Coutts and Varun Uberoi).
1. Options for Britain: Measuring and Managing Public Services Performance (Christopher Hood).
2. The Future of the State (Matthew Flinders).
3. Social Justice and Inequality in the UK: Eradicating Child Poverty? (Peter Kenway).
4. Social Mobility: Concepts, Measures and Policies (Jo Blanden).
5. The Tax System under Labour (Paul Johnson).
6. Regulation, Equality and the Public Interest (Shamit Saggar).
7. Gender Analysis of Transfer Policies: Unpicking the Household (Fran Bennett).
8. Options and the Lack of Options: Healthcare Politics and Policy (Scott L. Greer).
9. Entrepreneurship and Innovation Policy: Retrospect and Prospect (Alan Hughes).
10. Information Exchange between Government and Citizens (Helen Margetts).
11. Options for Britain: Europe (Patrick Diamond and Roger Liddle).
12. Global Poverty and Inequality: A Brief Retrospective and Prospective Analysis (Michael Woolcock).
Index.